pheomelanin
noun
pheo·mel·a·nin
ˌfē-ə-ˈme-lə-nən 
variants
or less commonly phaeomelanin
plural pheomelanins also phaeomelanins
: a reddish-yellow sulfur-containing melanin pigment formed in the presence of cysteine
… in people with dark brown or black hair, the pheomelanin is effectively masked by the darker eumelanin.—
Erin Brodwin
Erin BrodwinThe marked spectrum of color and diversity of patterns … in mammals arises, unexpectedly, from variation in the quantity, quality, and regional distribution of just two types of pigment—black eumelanin and yellow pheomelanin.—Sophie I. Candille et al.
compare eumelanin, neuromelanin
Sophie I. Candille et al.Examples of pheomelanin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
High pheomelanin and low eumelanin tend to produce light skin and freckles/red hair (very high pheomelanin) or yellow hair.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
No or very little eumelanin or pheomelanin (albinism) tends to produce pale skin/white hair.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
The melanin in your hair can exist in two main types: eumelanin (black melanin) and pheomelanin (orange-red melanin).
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 10 July 2024
Slater and her colleagues went looking for ginger shades in the fossil record because evidence of pheomelanins has shown up there far less often than the researchers expected, compared with modern-day animals.
—Riley Black, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023
While eumelanin and pheomelanin control the colors of such visible characteristics, neuromelanin affects neurons in the brain and plays a role in protection against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023
There are three basic types of the pigment: eumelanin, pheomelanin and neuromelanin.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023
Gray and brown colors, for their parts, appear to arise from combinations of eumelanin, pheomelanin and pigment absence.
—Jakob Vinther, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2017
Researchers involved in the study believe that the earliest humans had pale skin containing pheomelanin, as do our close relatives, the chimpanzees.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2014
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Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
No or very little eumelanin or pheomelanin (albinism) tends to produce pale skin/white hair.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
The melanin in your hair can exist in two main types: eumelanin (black melanin) and pheomelanin (orange-red melanin).
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 10 July 2024
Slater and her colleagues went looking for ginger shades in the fossil record because evidence of pheomelanins has shown up there far less often than the researchers expected, compared with modern-day animals.
—Riley Black, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023
While eumelanin and pheomelanin control the colors of such visible characteristics, neuromelanin affects neurons in the brain and plays a role in protection against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023
There are three basic types of the pigment: eumelanin, pheomelanin and neuromelanin.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023
Gray and brown colors, for their parts, appear to arise from combinations of eumelanin, pheomelanin and pigment absence.
—Jakob Vinther, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2017
Researchers involved in the study believe that the earliest humans had pale skin containing pheomelanin, as do our close relatives, the chimpanzees.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2014
Dictionary Entries Near pheomelanin
Cite this Entry
“Pheomelanin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pheomelanin. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pheomelanin
noun
pheo·mel·a·nin
variants
also phaeomelanin
: a reddish-yellow sulfur-containing melanin pigment formed in the presence of cysteine
As pH reduces, there is a progressive reduction in tyrosinase activity leading to increased pheomelanin and reddish or blonde hair.—Anagha Kumar et al., International Journal of Trichology
Anagha Kumar et al., International Journal of TrichologyModern melanosomes generally carry a mixture of two melanin pigments: dark brown-black eumelanin and red-yellow pheomelanin.—Meghan Rosen, Science News
Meghan Rosen, Science NewsThe marked spectrum of color and diversity of patterns that we see in mammals arises, unexpectedly, from variation in the quantity, quality, and regional distribution of just two types of pigment—black eumelanin and yellow pheomelanin.—Sophie I. Candille et al., Science
compare eumelanin, neuromelanin
Sophie I. Candille et al., ScienceLove words? Need even more definitions?
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